Bryan Stow, a victim of fan violence in 2011, threw out the first pitch to San Jose Giants catcher Matt Pare at the home opener Thursday night with a ceremonial ball delivered via helicopter. Also pictured are Stow's daughter Tabitha (left) and son Tyler. To view a photo album of the game, visit our Facebook Page and be sure to LIKE us.

On a sparkling, picture-perfect day, baseball returned to AT&T Park, with the Giants opening against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ceremonies over the next several games would honor baseball's 2014 World Series champions. Photo by Dickson Louie.

Giants starting pitcher Tim Hudson was roughed up by the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday at AT&T Park. Hudson gave up a first-inning two-run homer to the D-Backs' Paul Goldschmidt, but struck out six as the Giants fell 5-1 in front of another sell-out crowd. To view a photo album of the game, visit our Facebook Page shortly and be sure to LIKE us. Photo by Kenny Karst.

New A's third baseman Brett Lawrie's aggressive slide Friday night in Kansas City cleared both benches as he took out shortstop Alcides Escobar in the seventh inning. In retaliation on Saturday Lawrie took a 99-mph fastball off his elbow and on Sunday got a 100-mph heater behind his back from Royals reliever Kelvin Herrera. Above, Lawrie celebrates with teammates Ben Zobrist (center) and Mark Canha in a game earlier this year versus Seattle.

Cardinal running back Barry Sanders Jr. eludes cornerback Terrance Alexander for a long gain. Stanford's annual spring footfall game between the Cardinal (offense) and White (defense) was a 23-7 rout by the defense at Stanford Stadium earlier this month.To view a photo album of the game, visit our Facebook Page shortly and be sure to LIKE us. Photo by Kenny Karst.

The Cal Spring Football Experience wrapped up the Golden Bears' 2015 spring practice schedule on Cal Day under sunny skies and warm temperatures Saturday at Kabam Field at California Memorial Stadium. Highlights on the field during scrimmages included touchdown passes from Jared Goff and Chase Forrest. To view a photo album of the scrimmages, visit our Facebook Page and be sure to LIKE us. Photo by Ron Sellers. (Courtesy: Cal Athletics.)

"As American as an apple is and as American as baseball is, they don't go together. You can't be chewing an apple at a baseball game.

You've got to let go of the diet that day."

~Kevin James

American comedian, actor, writer and producer

Memorable Sports Moment

Steph Curry

Steph Curry: Not

an Afterthought

Glenn Dickey

In May 2009 I was invited to a pre-draft meeting with Larry Riley, then the Warriors general manager. I was the only one in the room who was not covering the NBA. The others were either writers or TV commentators specializing in the NBA. Every one of them was convinced that the Warriors would draft Jordan Hill if he was available because they needed a power forward.

I had no opinion, but I wanted to hear what Riley had to say because he'd been a scout before being promoted and had not entirely given up his earlier profession, going on the road to scout the players who might be available when the Warriors drafted 10th.

In the meeting, I was struck by how much Riley talked about Steph Curry. The conventional wisdom at the time was that they didn't need a guard because Monta Ellis was going to be a star -- but Riley just couldn't stop talking about how much he liked Curry. He liked everything about him, including the fact that his father had been an NBA player. Mostly, though, he talked about Curry's skills and how he could become an outstanding point guard in the pros.

The more he talked, the more I became convinced that if Curry were there when the Warriors' pick came up, they would take him. The others in the room, though, were convinced they'd take Hill. In their reports later, they all said that.

When the Warriors' turn came up on draft night, Hill was available but they passed on him to take Curry. Picking next, the Knicks took Hill.

Hill is now with the Los Angeles Lakers, his third team, and they're not happy with him. You know how Curry's career has gone.

The lesson: If you're going into a meeting with a man who knows more than you do, it's smart to listen to what he's saying.

Glenn Dickey is a graduate of UC Berkeley (1958), where he majored in journalism. He was the sports editor of the Daily Californian before joining the San Francisco Chronicle in 1963. He left in 2006 and is currently writing freelance columns for the San Francisco Examiner. Dickey has written 15 books, including team histories of the San Francisco 49ers, San Francisco Giants and Oakland Raiders. He and his wife, Nancy, have been married for 48 years and have one son, Scott, who is married to Sarah (Osowitz). Both are attorneys and live less than a quarter of a mile from Glenn and Nancy in Oakland.

Baseball's back. I realize a lot of people don't care. To them, sports fans are knuckle draggers who probably also read comic books while chewing gum with their mouths open.

But baseball isn't called "the grand old game" for nothing; it's been a staple of American popular culture since the 19th century. Renowned authors from Ring Lardner to Bernard Malamud to John Updike have sung its praises.

But now let's talk about Jay Hanna "Dizzy" Dean -- because not many people do anymore. The Hall of Fame pitcher from the Deep South would have been 106 years old this past January. "Ol' Diz" was a tall, rangy right-hander who was discovered on a Texas sandlot. During the Great Depression, an era of fearsome sluggers and high-scoring games, Dean dominated with an unhittable fastball and unshakable self-confidence. Of his cockiness he once said, "It ain't braggin' if you can back it up."

From 1933 to '36, Dean put together four spectacular seasons. He won 30 games in 1934, a feat that has been accomplished only once since. Diz was beaned in the '34 World Series by an infielder's throw while sliding into second base. A newspaper headline the next day said, "X-ray of Dean's Head Shows Nothing."

He went on to become a popular radio and TV sportscaster who visited mayhem upon the language to the delight -- sometimes outrage -- of his listeners.

The St. Louis Board of Education tried to yank Diz off the air. His response: "Let the teachers teach English and I will teach baseball. There is a lot of people in the United States who say 'isn't,' and they ain't eating."

Dean's calculated simplemindedness led to on-air pronouncements such as: "He nonchalantly walks back to the dugout in disgust" and "Don't fail to miss tomorrow's game." Both sentences are variations on his clueless-rube routine: In the first one, he uses "nonchalantly" in place of "slowly" (the logical choice). Since both can mean "unhurriedly," he figures they must be interchangeable. In the second, he makes us all dizzy trying to navigate three negatives ("don't," "fail," "miss") -- whereupon we realize he just told us to miss tomorrow's game!

One of Diz's most infamous butcheries was "He slud into third." Dean vehemently defended "slud"over "slid," insisting the latter "just ain't natural ... 'Slud' is something more than 'slid.' It means sliding with great effort."

In his prime, Diz once said, "I know who's the best pitcher I ever see and it's old Satchel Paige, that big, lanky colored boy." And this: "If Satchel and I were pitching on the same team, we would clinch the pennant by July fourth and go fishing until World Series time." Dean made these statements a decade before African-Americans integrated major-league baseball in 1947. Reading those two quotes, I was heartened by the generosity of spirit peeking out from behind Dean's shroud of buffoonery.

Maybe Ol' Diz knew the score in more ways than one. Later in life he said, "I ain't what I used to be, but who the hell is?" Could that there Shakespeare fella have said it any better?

Tom Stern is a longtime Bay Area writer-editor who is on the staff of the grammar website GrammarBook.com. Tom has also worked for Bay Sports Publishing/Ultimate Sports Guide for over 20 years.

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There are 294 days left until the Golden Super Bowl at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, on Feb. 7, 2016.

Below is a list of sports bars we recommend for all your sports viewing needs. Each is a worthy institution and they have the added distinction of also being long-time Ultimate Sports Guide advertisers. When you stop in, please extend our thanks.

San Francisco

Abbey Tavern, 4100 Geary Street

The Blue Light, 1979 Union Street

Bus Stop, 1901 Union Street

The Chieftain, 198 5th Street

Danny Coyle's, 668 Haight Street

Dave's, 29 Third Street @ Kearny

Final Final, 2990 Baker @ Lombard

The Holding Company, #2 Embarcadro Center

Il Pirata, 2007 16th Street

Jake's Steaks, 3301 Buchanan Street

Jullian's, 101 4th Street

The Kezar Pub, 770 Stanyan Street

Mad Dog in the Fog, 530 Haight Street

Mucky Duck, 1315 9th Avenue

Nickie's Bar, 466 Haight Street

Players Sports Grill, Pier 39, Buildings L & M

Polo Grounds, 747 3rd Street

East Bay

Brennan's Restaurant, 4th & University, Berkeley

Churchward Pub, 1515 Park Street, Alameda

City Beach, 4020 Technology Place, Fremont

Crogan's Montclair, 6101 La Salle Avenue, Oakland

Cue & Brew, 1029 Arnold Drive, #6, Martinez

Dan's Irish Sports Bar, 1524 Civic Street, Walnut Creek

Diamonds Sports Bar & Grill, 77 Hegenberger, Oakland

Ed's Mudville Grill, 6200 Center Street, Clayton

The Englander, 101 Parrott Street, San Leandro

Evie's, 7138 Village Parkway, Dublin

Francesco's Restaurant, 8520 Pardee Drive, Oakland

Frank's Saloon, 2014 Marina Blvd., San Leandro

Funky Monkey, 22554 Main Street, Hayward

George & Walt's, 5445 College Avenue, Oakland

Grand Oaks Restaurant, 3701 Grand Avenue, Oakland

Go Sports Bar, 736 Washington Street, Oakland

Ivy Room, 860 San Pablo Avenue, Albany

Kingfish, 5227 Claremont, Oakland

Linguini's Pizza & Brew, 1508 Park Street, Alameda

Livermore Casino Sports Bar, 3571 First Street, Livermore

McCovey's Restaurant, 1444 N. California, Walnut Creek

Mr. Lucky's Bar & Grill, 1527 Locust Street. Walnut Creek

Oakland Moose Club, 690 Hegenberger Road

Oaks Corner, 4099 San Pablo, Emeryville

Otaez Mexican Restaurant, 1619 Webster Street, Alameda

Pacific Coast Brewing Co., 906 Washington Street, Oakland

Pasta Pelican, 2455 Mariner Square Drive, Alameda

Pete's Place, 610A San Pablo Avenue, Pinole

Rancho Sports Bar, 3912 San Pablo Dam Road, El Sobrante

Ricky's Sports Grill, 15028 Hesperian Blvd., San Leandro

Sports Edition Bar, Hilton Oakland Airport, Oakland

Stadium Pub, 1420 Lincoln Avenue, Walnut Creek

Tierney's Sports Bar, 540 San Pablo Avenue, Albany

WPLJ's Dance Club, 2112 North Main Street, Walnut Creek

Brisbane

7 Mile House, 2800 Bayshore Blvd.

Burlingame

The American Bull Bar & Grill, 1819 El Camino Real

Knuckles Historical Sports Bar, Hyatt Regency, Burlingame

Campbell

Capers Eat & Drink, 1710 West Campbell

Fair Oaks

Players Sports Pub, 4060 Sunrise Blvd.

Half Moon Bay

Cameron's Restaurant Pub & Inn, 1410 South Cabrillo Hwy

Half Moon Bay Brewing Co., 390 Capistrano Road

Foster City

The Club House Bistro, 1221 Chess Drive

Palo Alto

Sundance The Steakhouse, 1921 El Camino Real

Point Richmond

Up & Under, 2 West Richmond Avenue

San Jose

Bay 101 Casino, 1801 Bering Drive

Britannia Arms, 5027 Almaden Expressway

Britannia Arms, 173 West Santa Clara

Britannia Arms, 1087 De Anza Blvd.

San Rafael

Pete's 881, 721 Lincoln Avenue

Santa Clara

City Beach, 2911 Mead Avenue

Santa Cruz

One Double Oh Seven Club, 1007 Soquel Avenue

Vacaville

Stars Recreation Center, 155 Browns Valley Parkway

Bay Area Pride!

Sports

Today!

is published by the

Ultimate Sports Guide, a glossy print publication serving the San Francisco Bay Area with two editions a year, the Spring/Summer Baseball edition and the Fall/Winter Football edition. For expansive photo albums of the local teams, visit our Facebook page and be sure to LIKE us. For an informative e-newsletter mailed to our sports-minded database, CLICK HERE or, send your email address to: theultimatesportsguide@gmail.com.